Pakistan PM’s son named in ephedrine case

Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani's son has cut short his honeymoon and returned from South Africa after he was named as an accused in the Rs 7 billion scam of illegal sale of ephedrine, a controlled substance used in medicines, a media report said today.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son Ali Musa has cut short his honeymoon in South Africa and returned to Pakistan after being named as an accused in a case of alleged irregularities in the import of a large amount of the controlled drug Ephedrine.

Ali Musa, who was recently elected to the National Assembly or lower house of parliament, returned to the country on Saturday night after he was asked by the premier to come back and face the charges against him.

The Anti-Narcotics Force last week named Ali Musa among the accused in the Ephedrine scam. The premier has said his son is being framed in a politically motivated case.

The Supreme Court is examining allegations about out-of- turn quotas for importing Ephedrine that were granted to two pharmaceutical companies by the Health Ministry, allegedly under the influence of Ali Musa.

Speaking at an official function shortly after the ANF named his son as an accused, Gilani said he was being "punished for standing by the President".

He accused ANF’s Regional Director Brig Fahim Ahmad Khan, an army officer, of exceeding his powers and violating the rules of the government.